Latest news with #LeanneWard
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Dietitian: The brutally honest fat loss advice I'd give you if I WASN'T worried about hurting your feelings
An Australian dietitian has delivered a no-nonsense message about why so many people struggle to lose weight. Leanne Ward, a Brisbane-based dietitian and nutritionist, is known for her straight-talking posts on Instagram. But it was a recent one titled 'Warning: this may hurt... but you need to hear it' that cut straight to the heart of the issue. In it, Ward listed the hard truths she often sees behind her clients' struggles, challenging some of the most common explanations people give for not losing fat. 'It's not your metabolism - you're just not consistent,' she wrote. 'A calorie deficit does work - you're just not in one. It's not your hormones - it's the snacking, poor sleep and no structure.' She continued with more wake-up calls: 'You don't need a gut cleanse - you need more fibre, plants and less ultra-processed food,' and 'You're not addicted to sugar - you're under-fuelled, over-stressed and emotionally exhausted.' While the message may sound blunt, Ward isn't dismissing the genuine struggles many people face. In fact, she acknowledged that medical conditions and complex factors do play a role in some cases - but argued that, in her experience, they account for 'the few, not the many'. Her words have sparked a huge response online, with thousands sharing and commenting in agreement. So what does this actually mean for everyday Australians trying to improve their health? The overarching message is simple: consistency matters more than perfection. Many people assume their efforts 'aren't working' after a week or two of healthy eating or exercise, but real change requires months of sustained habits. Tracking food honestly, setting regular meal times, and reducing mindless snacking are all small, tangible ways to get back on track. Ward's reminder about sleep and stress is also crucial. Lack of sleep and high stress levels can throw off hunger signals, fuel emotional eating, and make people crave sugary, high-calorie foods. Creating simple routines around bedtime, incorporating movement into the day, and asking for help when overwhelmed can all make a difference, not just for fat loss, but for overall wellbeing. She also touched on a growing trend: intuitive eating. While it works well for some, Ward warned that if someone is used to overeating, their internal hunger and fullness cues may be unreliable. In those cases, eating 'intuitively' might not be effective until habits and signals are reset. Finally, Ward's post ended with a reality check: 'You say you've tried everything - but you haven't been consistent with anything.' It's a statement that resonated with thousands, and one that many say helped them reflect on their own patterns. In a time when social media is flooded with quick fixes, detoxes, and conflicting advice, Ward's post serves as a much-needed reminder that health doesn't need to be complicated - but it does require honesty, structure, and patience. Her advice may not be sugar-coated, but for many, it might be exactly what they need to hear.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Data Shows Improvements in Growth and Bone Morphometry in Children with Achondroplasia Treated with TransCon® CNP (Navepegritide)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) today announced new data showing improvements in growth and bone morphometry from Week 52 of its pivotal ApproaCH Trial of TransCon CNP (navepegritide) in children with achondroplasia. TransCon CNP is an investigational prodrug of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) administered once weekly providing continuous exposure of active CNP to receptors on tissues throughout the body, including growth plates and skeletal muscle. The bone morphometry data were shared in an oral presentation on May 12 by Leanne Ward, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa (Canada) and the growth data were shared in an oral presentation on May 13 by Hanne B. Hove, M.D., DMSc., Chief Consultant in the Department of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine at Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet (Denmark), during ESPE & ESE 2025, the joint congress of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). The double-blind placebo-controlled ApproaCH Trial included 84 children with achondroplasia (aged 2-11 years) randomized 2:1 (TransCon CNP:placebo) for 52 weeks, followed by an open-label extension period. At Week 52 of the trial, TransCon CNP demonstrated superiority over placebo in annualized growth velocity (AGV), with a safety and tolerability profile comparable to placebo that included a low rate of injection site reactions, no treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs), no cases of symptomatic hypotension, no fractures, and no acceleration of bone age versus chronological age. Analyses also showed that TransCon CNP improved aspects of bone morphometry at Week 52. This included improvement in lower limb alignment and proportional growth, as well as increases in spinal canal dimensions, versus placebo. 'The observed improvements in growth and bone morphometry seen in this trial support our goal to deliver benefits beyond linear growth,' said Aimee Shu, M.D., Executive Vice President of Endocrine & Rare Disease Medical Science and Chief Medical Officer at Ascendis Pharma. 'We look forward to continuing to work with our investigators and the broader achondroplasia community to better understand how changing the trajectory of skeletal dysplasia in childhood could potentially reduce future complications associated with this condition, such as pain, impaired mobility, or the need for surgery.' About AchondroplasiaAchondroplasia is a rare genetic condition arising from a systemic fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) variant that leads to an imbalance in the effects of the FGFR3 and CNP signaling pathways, estimated to affect more than 250,000 people worldwide. While historically considered a bone growth disorder, the FGFR3 variant seen in achondroplasia is expressed in tissues throughout the body, causing serious muscular, neurological, and cardiorespiratory complications in addition to skeletal dysplasia. Medical complications of achondroplasia vary across different stages of life. Throughout infancy and childhood, observed complications include spinal deformities, enlarged brain ventricles, impaired muscle strength and stamina, hearing deficits and chronic ear infections, upper airway obstructions, sleep-disordered breathing, hip problems, leg bowing, and chronic pain; many of these persist or worsen in adulthood. These medical complications can have detrimental effects on quality of life, physical functioning, and psychosocial function. Individuals with achondroplasia often require multiple surgeries and procedures to alleviate the condition's many complications. About Ascendis Pharma A/SAscendis Pharma is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on applying our innovative TransCon technology platform to make a meaningful difference for patients. Guided by our core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, and following our algorithm for product innovation, we apply TransCon to develop new therapies that demonstrate best-in-class potential to address unmet medical needs. Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and has additional facilities in Europe and the United States. Please visit to learn more. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding Ascendis' future operations, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to (i) Ascendis' goal to deliver benefits beyond linear growth, (ii) Ascendis' plans to continue to work with investigators and the broader achondroplasia community to better understand how changing the trajectory of skeletal dysplasia in childhood could potentially reduce future complications associated with the condition, (iii) Ascendis' ability to apply its TransCon technology platform to make a meaningful difference for patients, and (iv) Ascendis' application of its TransCon technologies to develop new therapies that demonstrate best-in-class potential to address unmet medical needs. Ascendis may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations and projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Ascendis makes, including the following: dependence on third party manufacturers, distributors and service providers for Ascendis' products and product candidates; unforeseen safety or efficacy results in Ascendis' development programs or on-market products; unforeseen expenses related to commercialization of any approved Ascendis products; unforeseen expenses related to Ascendis' development programs; unforeseen selling, general and administrative expenses, other research and development expenses and Ascendis' business generally; delays in the development of its programs related to manufacturing, regulatory requirements, speed of patient recruitment or other unforeseen delays; Ascendis' ability to obtain additional funding, if needed, to support its business activities; the impact of international economic, political, legal, compliance, social and business factors, including tariffs and trade policies. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Ascendis' business in general, see Ascendis' Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 12, 2025, and Ascendis' other future reports filed with, or submitted to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future licensing, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments that Ascendis may enter into or make. Ascendis does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Ascendis, Ascendis Pharma, the Ascendis Pharma logo, the company logo, and TransCon are trademarks owned by the Ascendis Pharma group. © May 2025 Ascendis Pharma A/S. Investor Contacts: Media Contact: Sarada Weerasinghe Melinda Baker Ascendis Pharma Ascendis Pharma ir@ media@ Patti Bank ICR Healthcare Sign in to access your portfolio
